New care clinic set to open in place of closing Concordia ER

WATCH: Health minister Kelvin Goertzen said Wednesday that at least part of the vacated ER space will house a new walk-in connected care clinic to treat non-life threatening injuries. Global's Timm Bruch reports.

The Concordia clinic will be similar to a quick care clinic in that it will provide an alternative to urgent or emergency care for health concerns in the area.

The new clinic will also have physicians on site and be opened twelve hours a day: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

It’s a transition the province said should only take a couple weeks after the emergency department is shut in June — and one they believe is just the latest step in making the northeast Winnipeg healthcare centre more effective.

“If you really want to move the needle in transforming a health care system, the action is at the primary care level,” Goertzen said.

The minister said the switch is an example of the province moving towards a revolutionized Concordia, voicing his confidence that it will make the hospital even more useful to health care after its ER doors are shut.

“I think the future of Concordia is now more important,” Goertzen said. “It will continue to be a vital part of the health care system in Winnipeg.”

According to the province, the changes are all slated to begin next summer, but the timeline could be affected by other health care steps, including renovations at St. Boniface Hospital.